Police Recover Veteran's Stolen Wheelchairs, Arrest Suspect

RIVERBANK (CBS13) -- Detectives have arrested a teen suspect who allegedly burglarized a disabled veteran's home, snatching valuables and two electric wheelchairs that were critical to his mobility.

Floyd Riggs, a 69-year-old Navy veteran, said witnesses told him three men broke into his home this week while he was in the hospital for treatment of heart problems. When he returned, he discovered his coin collection, television, and two motorized wheelchairs were gone.

"They're really important to me, because that's the only way to get around," Riggs said.

In a surprising twist, a tipster called the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department to report seeing 18-year-old Dillon Cole allegedly dumping one of the wheelchairs by the side of the road.

Deputies recovered the wheelchair and identified it as one of the stolen goods from Riggs' home, and after they obtained a search warrant, they found the victim's television and other wheelchair inside Cole's home.

CBS13 was unable to reach Cole for comment Friday.

Even though Riggs said he's happy he got his wheelchairs back, he said deputies were unable to find the battery chargers, worth hundreds of dollars.

"I cannot recharge my wheelchairs, so I won't have any way to get around," he said.

Investigators are continuing to search for the other suspects involved in the burglary. Anyone with information on the crime is asked to contact Crime Stoppers by calling (209) 521-4636, texting them to 274637 with "Tip704" at the beginning of the message, or visiting their website.